Mechanism for manually effecting an adhesive closure



G. ZOBEL July 6, 1954 MECHANISM FOR MANUALLY EFFECTING AN ADHESIVE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 14, 1952 INVENTOR. GE/(HLD Z0551.

BY I Patented July 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM ron :MANUALIIY EFFEoTiN'G -AN ADHESIVE CLOSURE Gerald Zobel, New York N. Y. Application'Octbb'er 14, 1952, Serial No. 314,759

(Granted. under Title 35, U. s. Code (1952), sec. 256) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to one-piece exposure suits and more particularly to apparatus for manually effecting a watertight seal between the step-in extensions of such suits.

Exposure suits are worn by military personnel under many circumstances while performing special duties. These suits have hitherto not been entirely waterproof and, as a result, the purpose for which they wereespecially designed was not fully realized. Means were searched.

for accomplishing the desired result of providing a one-piece exposure suit, of the cheap, throw-away variety which was watertight at all times. I

To provide a suit that is watertight, novel means for sealing such a suit were devised. As constructed, the one-piece suit consists of material, such as nylon, that is rubber-coated or coated with a plastic composition. A slit with extensions or flaps that run diagonally down from right to left across the upper front portion of the suit provides access means for donning said suit. Attached to a portion of the inner iii sides of each flap is a backing strip for protecting and adhesive substance placed on each flap to effect a watertight seal. By means of the present invention the backing strips from said flaps'are removed and thefiaps are pressed together to form a seal, thereby completely protecting the wearer of said suit from exposure to the elements.

One object of the present invention is to provide means for effecting the sealing of two pieces of cloth which are arranged in a face-to-face relationship with the abutting faces each containing an adhesive coating covered by a protective strip.-

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for effecting a watertight closure that is of simple construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device that will remove the protective backing strips covering an adhesive substance ailixed to two pieces of material and cause an adhesion to be formed between said pieces of material in one simple operation.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of construction and operation thereof are hereinafter more fully set forth and described with relation to the accompanying drawings in which like numbers refer to like parts:

Fig. 1 is a side-elevational view of the apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 2'is a plan-view ofthe apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fr'orit-ele'v'altional View of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 taken along line 4-4.

Fig. '5 isa drawing of the one-piece exposure suit showing the step-in flap extensions.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View of a portion of the flap extensions of 'the one-piece exposure suit.

The apparatus of this invention comprises a pair of rollers I I mounted on a frame l3 as shown in Figs. '1, 2 and 3. A metal clip [5 (see Fig. 4) of the general shape indicated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, is attached to said frame. Rollers l l are free to rotate about their support.

An exposure suit ['1 of suitable material having a slit or opening I9 is shown in Fig. 5. Two

naps or-extensions 21 on which an adhesive substance 23 "of the pressure-sensitive type is placed extend from the body of the suit. The ends of said flaps are formed into a double-beaded formation 25 by channelling a tubular cord 27 along the edges of the flaps. Backing strips 29 are placed over said adhesive substance to prevent the flap extensions 2| from prematurely forming a seal (see Fig. 6). A preferred type of adhesive substance to be employed is one that would retain its inherent tackiness at temperatures as low as minus forty degrees Fahrenheit and have aging properties that permit retention of these characteristics during an extended period of storage under varying climatic conditions prior to actual use.

After a suit I! is donned the rollers II are interspaced. between flaps 2| to roll up the backing strips '29 thereby exposing the adhesive substance 23 as said device is moved past the flaps. The backing strips are initially attached to the rollers at the start of the operation such as by winding several turns of backing strips 25 around the circumferences of rollers l l to insure a firm hold. Metal clip l5 mounted to ride behind the rollers II has two spring leaves 3| which ride on the outer faces of the flaps El and press the exposed adhesive faces together, thus producing a watertight joint. The mouth or guide 33 of metal clip I5 accepts tubular cords 27 and maintains uniform alignment of. the two flaps 21 during closure. Pressure required to adhere the two flaps is provided by the shape and inherent springiness of the metal clip.

From the foregoing description and illustration of the present invention it is apparent that a device of simple design is provided for effecting a watertight seal of two pieces of material. The

mechanism is of such design that the backing strip protecting the adhesive substance afiixed to the material is removed and an adhesion is formed during the one operation.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is not intended that the invention be limited to such disclosure, but that changes and modifications can be made and incorporated within the scope of the claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed:

1. In apparatus for sealin together two pieces of material having an adhesive substance attached thereto protected by backing strips, a frame, means attached to said frame for removing said backing strips, means attached to said frame for pressing such materials together, and means associated with said pressing means for maintaining uniform alignment of the two pieces of material.

2. In apparatus for sealing together two pieces of material having an adhesive substance attached thereto protected by backing strips, a frame, means attached to said frame for removing said backing strips, and means attached to said frame for pressing such materials together to form a watertight joint, said stripping and pressing operations occurring simultaneously.

3. In apparatus for sealing together two pieces of material having an adhesive substance attached thereto protected by backing strips, a frame, roller means attached to said frame for stripping said backing strips from the material, and a metal clip consisting of two spring leaves attached to said frame for pressing the material together to form a watertight closure.

4. In apparatus for sealing together two pieces of material having an adhesive substance attached thereto protected by backing strips, a frame, roller means attached to said frame for strippin said backing strips from the material, a metal clip attached to said frame for pressing said materials together, and means associated with said metal clip for maintaining uniform alignment of the two pieces of material.

5. A device for effecting a Watertight closure between two adhesive elements having backing protective strips comprising a frame, rollers, said rollers spaced in parallel relationship to each other and attached to said frame, and a metal clip, said metal clip attached to said frame consisting of two spring leaves situated behind and midway between said rollers, said rollers bein interposed between the element faces for rollin up the backing strips exposing the adhesive surfaces on the elements, said leaf springs riding on the outer surface of said elements for pressing the exposed adhesive faces of the element together, thereby forming a watertight seal.

6. A device for manually effecting a watertight closure between two adhesive elements having protective strips comprising a frame, rollers, said rollers attached to said frame and interspaced between said element faces for rolling up the backing strips, a metal clip, said clip attached to said frame to ride on the outer surfaces of said elements for pressing the exposed adhesive faces of the elements together, and a guide, said guide for maintaining uniform alignment of the two elements during closure.

No references cited. 

